Process for separating oil from a naturally occurring mixture

Abstract

A process for separating hydrocarbons from naturally occurring mixtures comprising minerals and inorganic materials originating from rock admixed with oil, for example tar sands and oil shales. The process comprises introducing particles of such mixtures into a gaseous plasma of a chemically inert gas to vaporize the hydrocarbons and thus separate them from the solid particles. The solid particles are allowed to drop from the plasma. The vaporized oil is condensed as a separate stock.

We claim: 
     
       1. A process for separating hydrocarbons from naturally occurring mixtures comprising minerals and inorganic materials originating from rock admixed with oil, the process comprising introducing particles of such mixtures into a gaseous plasma of a chemically inert gas in a sealed reactor vessel in which the plasma electron temperature is in the range 10,000° F. to 80,000° F. to vaporize the hydrocarbons and thus separate them from the solid particles, allowing the solid particles to drop from the plasma and condensing the vaporized oil as a separate stock, the sealed reactor vessel being equipped with pressure control whereby the plasma is shut off and the vessel purged with an inert gas immediately the pressure drops below two pounds per square inch. 
     
     
       2. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the mixture is tar sand. 
     
     
       3. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the mixture is oil shale. 
     
     
       4. A process as claimed in claim 1 carried out in a sealed vessel having a plasma inlet; a mineral or inorganic materials originating from rock mixture injector, means to remove the hydrocarbon vapors and the separated solid particles, and means to control pressure within the vessel above atmospheric. 
     
     
       5. A process as claimed in claim 4 in which the pressure above atmospheric is in the range of 2 to 100 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
       6. A process as claimed in claim 5 in which the pressure is in the range 7 to 40 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
       7. A process as claimed in claim 1 including introducing the vaporized hydrocarbons to a separating tower where fractionation can be carried out. 
     
     
       8. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the chemically inert gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, argon, helium, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. 
     
     
       9. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the mineral or inorganic materials originating from rock mixture in a frozen particulate state is introduced into the plasma stream by means of a carrier gas. 
     
     
       10. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the mineral or inorganic materials originating from rock mixture is introduced into the plasma as a paste by mechanical means. 
     
     
       11. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the mineral or inorganic materials originating from rock mixture is introduced into the plasma suspended in a liquid. 
     
     
       12. A process as claimed in claim 1 including the additional step of treating the separated solids to extract metal and industrial mineral values. 
     
     
       13. A process as claimed in claim 12 in which the metal values are nickel, vanadium and iron. 
     
     
       14. A process as claimed in claim 12 in which the industrial minerals are nahcolite, dawsonite and silica.